Commercial Water Damage Miami

When a commercial complex has incurred water damage, it is both shocking and devastating. First, you will suffer the consequences of potential income loss and possible business halting. In addition to this, water damage can also cause potential safety and health issues. However, commercial water damage can raise some questions due to its high technicality. Here are some frequently asked questions from commercial water damage customers.

What are the Common Causes of Commercial Water Damage?

Similar to residential buildings, commercial water damage is commonly caused by a faulty plumbing system. When your pipes leak, it is possible that it can suddenly cause flooding on the building. While certain plumbing problems are not noticeable immediately, the problem will slowly build up and it can eventually cause remarkable damage.

Since commercial buildings would often adhere to a work schedule, there are two days during the weekend where the building would not have tenants. This is when water damage often occurs, especially when there is an appliance or equipment on the building that requires water. Due to the fact that the equipment is unattended, flooding can occur.

Are There Different Levels or Categories of Water Damage?

It is also important to know that not all water damages are equal. There are categories of water damage that is more alarming than others. This is why you must be able to determine the gravity of the situation. The nature of the situation can be easily distinguished, but there are times when the situation cannot be distinguished by the naked eye.

Category of Water Damage

Category 1 Water (Clean Water)

As the name suggests, this source of water is non-threatening to humans. The most common cause of clean water damage is from the overflow of the bathroom sink, malfunctioning of appliances, or broken water supply lines. Even if the water is non-threatening, stagnant water can turn into a threat, which is why it is important to deal with the problem immediately.

Category 2 Water (Grey Water)

This type of water damage is slightly murky, which means that it can cause potential harm. Due to the presence of chemical, biological or physical contaminants, it can cause sickness and discomfort when you are exposed to it. This is usually caused by the overflow of toilet bowls with urine or water discharge from appliances that are looming with human discharge. For example, the water discharge from dishwashers contains human saliva and a washing machine contains water exposed to human sweat.

Category 3 Water (Black Water)

The worst type of water damage is the black water category. It is looming with harmful bacteria and fungi, which causes extreme harm to human due to its contamination. Due to the presence of harmful substances, it can cause sickness. The common cause of black water is sewage, seawater, standing water, toilet bowl with feces, or ground surface water.

Evaporation Levels of Water Damage

Class 1 (Slow Rate of evaporation)

At this level, minimal moisture has been absorbed or it affects materials with low porosity. Moreover, this can slowly evaporate since it only affects a tiny part of a room.

Class 2 (Fast Rate of Evaporation)

In general, the Class 2 level will not wick walls greater than 24 inches. In addition to this, it has also soaked up on carpet and cushion.

Class 3 (Fastest Rate of Evaporation)

When the room is covered from top to bottom, it can be classified as Class 3 level of water damage.

Class 4 (Specialty Drying Situations)

This type of water damage covers materials with extremely low porosity. Commonly, it involves plaster, concrete, or hardwood floors. Due to this, the drying process would require a very low specific humidity

In Case of Water Damage, Who Should You Call First?

Unless you have been trained for specialized water damage, you may be unequipped in dealing with any effects of water damage. While your instinct will push you to do things on your own, the right thing to do is to call a water damage restoration company. This is because water damage restoration companies, like Water Damage Miami, would know exactly what to do when the need arises.

This will prevent further damage to your property as the problem will be addressed from the root cause. In addition to this, it will also keep you and your building safe because it is going to prevent potential electrical shock.

The damage will be greatly diminished and you can still apply for an insurance claim in a more organized manner since water damage restoration companies are best equipped to handle this. In addition to this, a water damage restoration company will also know the process on how to deal with insurance claim files. Instead of just calling your insurance company immediately, you can deal with the problem first before calling up your insurance company.

What to do when There is Flood on the Building?

After calling a water damage restoration company, you must be certain that you must eliminate potential hazards in the area. First, you must unplug any appliances that are on the floor. If there is a high chance that the water can cause electrical shock, you must turn off the circuit breaker.

In order to save more of your belongings, you can start taking out items that are soaked in water. Moreover, you can also begin trying to remove some of the visible water on the floor. However, you must be cautious about not using paper with prints on them since it can cause transfer of ink on the surface.

How Can I Prevent Water Damage?

Water damage prevention for a commercial complex is similar to preventing damage to residential homes. First, you must always be cautious of your water bill. If you notice an unexpected increase of your water bill statement, there must be some faulty plumbing line on the building or there are leaks on your pipes.

Since these pipes are not visible due to the fact that they are hidden behind walls, your water bill is a pretty good indicator of any busted lines. However, a common sign of this is peeling walls since moisture can affect the condition of the wall. Next, you must check the appliances that can potentially cause leakage.

The most common appliances that can cause flooding are refrigerators, dishwashers, and air humidifiers. While you do not need to check it daily, it is important to check them before the weekend when there is no work. This is because this is the time when the appliances are left unattended. You should also check for clogged toilets or sink as they can overflow.

Finally, you must also check for leaking roofs since this can also cause potential flooding. You must also have someone clean the gutters to ensure that it can prevent clogging during the rainy season.

What are Some Common Effects of Water Damage?

Since moisture is present when there is water damage, the presence of mold will soon follow. This can lead to the growth of bacteria, which can cause potential health hazards. When there are molds present in the area, you can be prone to allergic reactions and asthma attacks. It can also be a cause of other medical problems that are harmful to humans. In addition to this, the area will also be considered unsanitary due to the presence of molds and other bacteria.

What Happens during a Commercial Water Damage Restoration Process?

While the water damage restoration process is dealt with on a case by case basis, there is a general process that is often followed. During the process, water damage companies will evaluate the damage and how to deal with them. Each level and category of water damage will be determined to ensure the best way to clear the damage.

Next, the water removal process begins by using specialized equipment to remove the bulk of water present. Once the water is removed completely and the root cause is fixed, the area is dried and it also undergoes dehumidification process to completely eliminate moisture in the room. The complex is also restored to its state before the damage has occurred.

How Long does it Take to Finish the Commercial Water Damage Restoration Process?

The commercial water damage restoration process will take two to four days for the water removal and drying phase. This can be dependent on the situation of the water damage and the gravity of the damage. However, the restoration and repair process takes a bit longer if you wish to have your building return to its original state. Oftentimes, if an entire floor is affected by the water damage, the repair and restoration phase can take a couple of weeks.

When the damage is more severe, it can take longer to complete the water damage restoration process since you will need to sanitize the place thoroughly. Moreover, it will require more specialized equipment for cleaning.

If there is a sign of water damage on your commercial complex, it is time to call Water Damage Miami (786) 540-4735 and we will take care of the damage for you.